In early March, Gov. Charlie Crist entreated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct initial damage assessments and offer financial assistance for Floridians with property damage and health issues, presumably caused by defective Chinese drywall.
Unfortunately for thousands of Florida homeowners, FEMA balked at the request and referred Crist to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and its partner agencies to "develop a solution for Florida's citizens."
David Halstead, the interim director of Florida's Emergency Management Division, had requested the aid by means of a letter on Crist's behalf. On March 10, Halstead wrote that "homeowners have suffered greatly and have no means by which to repair their homes" and that "[many] have been forced to move due to health risks from noxious fumes."
Since the news of tainted drywall—and its noxious fumes—started rolling in, manufacturers and other businesses that supplied and installed the building material have denied liability.
Florida has identified 2,505 homes with downgraded appraisal values stemming from damage related to Chinese drywall. Another 86 claims are pending, and Lee County, Fla., appears to be the hardest hit, with more than 1,100 cases. In addition, the state reports metal corrosion stemming from the faulty drywall in at least 530 dwellings.
FEMA's reasoning behind the denial was that the drywall situation—which is considered by many as a man-made disaster—does not meet the criteria of an emergency or true "disaster."
"Conditions experienced by individuals from a consumer product safety matter, such as the degradation of imported drywall, does not constitute an emergency or major disaster incident, as contemplated under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act," Major P. May, FEMA's regional administrator, wrote in response to Halstead's plea.
In most cases, homeowners' insurance does not cover damages related to Chinese drywall. Despite this obvious setback in securing aid, speculation remains that relief may be within reach for some. A legal battle is currently being waged in New Orleans to determine the nature of repairs and remediation efforts that should be taken by manufacturers of the defective drywall.
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